Nigeria road accident kills 16 police recruits

Abuja: At least sixteen newly recruited police officers were burnt to death when a bus in which they were travelling in rammed into a car in northern state of Kwara, eyewitnesses said.

"The Toyota Hummer bus in which the police chattered was coming from Ilorin going to Nassarawa state while, a Mercedes Benz came from another route and rammed his vehicle to the police vehicle which caught fire instantly," some eyewitnesses said adding that the accident occurred in front of a girl`s college in Omu-Aran town.

They eyewitnesses said the police recruits were burnt beyond recognition and that only three persons survived and are receiving treatment in a hospital.

The affected officers were trained in the country`s commercial capital -- Lagos where a police college is located and were on their way to their new posting in northern Nasarawa state.

The Kwara state police spokesman, Olufemi Fabode confirmed the accident but refused to disclose the number of persons that died.